Samsung to probe child labor allegations

As if being sued over mimicking Apple’s gear wasn’t enough, Samsung’s suppliers seem to have started mimicking Apple’s. To be fair, the Chinese company in question, HEG Electronics, had no workers jumping off of roofs, but the latest probe revealed that working conditions are in fact worse than in Foxconn.

The entire ruckus began after Child Labor Watch group claimed to have found evidence of child labor in HEG Electronics, who makes mobile phones, DVDs, stereo equipment and MP3 players for Samsung. The group says children under the age of 16 could be found in the factory between June and July.

Samsung says it found no evidence of such claims when it conducted its inspections in HEG. In fact, the company says it conducted two on-site inspections, none of them revealing any irregularities. The company’s statement further reads:"A team of inspectors consisting of Samsung personnel from Korea headquarters will be dispatched to Huizhou, China on 9 August, and it will immediately launch an investigation and take appropriate measures to correct any problems that may surface."

Child Labor Watch says that its investigators had “limited contact” with other departments within HEG, most probably meaning that they weren’t allowed to walk around freely. Additionally, the group claims HEG has "slack internal supervision mechanisms" that could not detect underage workers who mingled with older ones.

Child Labor Watch said: "Based on the results of this CLW investigation of Samsung's supplier factory, it can be determined that working conditions at HEG are well below those general conditions in Apple's supplier factories."